EVENT RECORDERS

Your doctor may need to gather information about any irregular rhythms while you're performing daily activities for a 24-hour period. Since your heart rate fluctuates when you're under stress, sleeping, eating and having sex, you may be asked to wear a Holter monitor, or event recorder, to help your doctor determine what could be potentially causing irregular heartbeats. Your doctor will be screening for poor blood flow to your heart, and possible heart problems that could be causing dizziness, chest pain, or fainting.

There are several different names for these monitors, including 24-hour EKG, cardiac event monitoring, and Holter monitors. These devices are all worn, some like a wristwatch, and some with electrodes attached to your chest connected to a device you wear or hold in your hand. You may be asked to call your doctor's office when an event occurs, so the information can be recorded by your doctor and sent to him or her right away. Some newer devices are as small as credit cards and can be held in your hand, or even in your purse. While an event is happening, you can simply raise it to your chest area to record the event.